1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:02,320 Good morning, brothers and sisters. 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,040 Great to be with you all this morning. 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,840 If you're visiting with us, my name is Brian Miller and I serve 4 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:09,680 on staff doing college ministry here. 5 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,800 We'd love to meet you after the service, answer any questions 6 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:14,320 you might have just here. What brought you to our church 7 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:16,440 this morning? If you have your copy of God's 8 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,320 Word, let's open together to the book of First Peter, First 9 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,120 Peter, chapter one, please. And if you don't have a Bible 10 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,360 with you, you can raise your hand. 11 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,000 Keep it high. Michael would love to bring you 12 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:29,760 a Bible. A couple of hands up there 13 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,280 Micah. If newer to the Bible, the book 14 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:35,680 of first Peter is going to be towards the very end is a couple 15 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:41,640 books before Revelation. What a little over a month. 16 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:48,800 On July 4th, our nation will celebrate 250 years, 250 years, 17 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:54,480 July 4th, 1776 to July 4th, 2026. 18 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:56,720 It's a great accomplishment for our nation. 19 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,280 Look forward to celebrating together as a country this 20 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,720 summer. I've always loved studying the 21 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,720 history of our country, which is as you guys know, goes back much 22 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,160 further than 1776. And one of the stories that I 23 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,600 loved as a kid was the story of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims, 24 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,720 a classic. On 6th September 6th, 1620, a 25 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:23,000 group of over 100 people, most of whom were Protestants, 26 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,160 English Puritans, boarded the Mayflower and prepared to set 27 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,800 sail across the Atlantic Ocean. But this would not be just any 28 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,360 casual boat ride. This trip was going to be over 29 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:38,080 two months at sea. They would face life threatening 30 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,520 disease that could spread to the passengers, dangerous storms. 31 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,760 They would be seasick. And you know, if you're on a 32 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,240 boat for two months, there's nowhere you can go. 33 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,280 This would be a dangerous journey. 34 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,560 Well, why'd they do it? Why risk your life and the life 35 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,480 of your family members and endure such a hard journey? 36 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,440 You probably know the answer. The Pilgrims were seeking a 37 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,760 better homeland. They were spiritual exiles back 38 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,560 in England. They were unwilling to practice 39 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,919 their faith freely. So they set sail, and they 40 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,280 wanted to come to a better world. 41 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,760 They were willing to endure numerous hardships in order to 42 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,960 get there. This morning we begin a new 43 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,640 series in the Book of First Peter, which myself and some 44 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:24,400 other brothers in the church we'll be preaching through, I 45 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,360 think about over the next year periodically, as Michael is out 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,760 of the pulpit. The Book of First Peter is 47 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:34,600 written to exiles, to pilgrims, to Christians who have come to 48 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,000 realize that this current world is not their home. 49 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:40,200 They're not ultimately welcome here. 50 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,360 So when we've come to faith in Jesus Christ, we've got on that 51 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,080 boat, we've set sail across the Atlantic and we're journeying 52 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,000 towards a heavenly homeland. Here's the larger question that 53 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:56,160 first Peter is going to address. How are Christians to live on 54 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,000 their journey home? This morning we tackle the 55 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,600 opening chapter 1 verses one through 12 here where the Holy 56 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,520 Spirit says through the Apostle Peter first Peter one one 57 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:16,040 through 12 Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to those who are 58 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:20,400 elect exiles of the dispersion and Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, 59 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,960 Asia and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the 60 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:29,200 Father in the sanctification of the Spirit for obedience to 61 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:34,080 Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood, may grace and 62 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:39,880 peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of 63 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,720 our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He 64 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,560 has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the 65 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,320 resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance 66 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:58,760 that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for 67 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,800 you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for 68 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,200 a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 69 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:12,560 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if 70 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,360 necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the 71 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,240 tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold 72 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,880 that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to 73 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,960 result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus 74 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:30,920 Christ. Though you have not seen Him, 75 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,600 you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, 76 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,240 you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible 77 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:42,080 and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the 78 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:46,240 salvation of your souls. Well, concerning this salvation, 79 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,720 the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be 80 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,960 yours, searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person 81 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,520 or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating. 82 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,760 When he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent 83 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:06,280 glories, it was revealed to them that they were serving not 84 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:11,080 themselves, but you. In the things that have now been 85 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,360 announced to you through those who preach the good news to you 86 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,720 by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. 87 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:21,600 Things into which angels long to look. 88 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,040 How are Christians to live on their journey home? 89 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,760 He would seem in Peter's opening address. 90 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,200 He doesn't really answer that question, at least not yet, and 91 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,680 not directly. Glance over the book of first 92 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:39,560 Peter with me. Quickly flip through the pages. 93 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:42,280 Peter later in chapters one and two, he's going to tell 94 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:43,960 Christians how to live as the church. 95 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,200 In chapters 2 and three, he's going to tell Christians how 96 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,160 they are to live as citizens, as employees, as husband, as as 97 00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:53,880 wives. At the end of chapter 3, heading 98 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,560 into four, how Christians are supposed to suffer and how we 99 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,160 are to steward God's gifts in the church. 100 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,320 In chapter 5, he closes the book addressing elders and even 101 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,240 telling us how we are to fight and resist Satan. 102 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,760 There are tons of applications in this book on how to live on 103 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:16,800 our journey home, but that isn't Peter's concern yet as he begins 104 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,520 the letter. Let's go back to chapter 1, 105 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:24,920 verses one through 12. There are 0 commands in in 106 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,280 verses one through 12. No direct exhortations, but a 107 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:32,480 whole lot of praise. Praise for what? 108 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:37,960 For their glorious salvation, Peter uses the word salvation 109 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:42,360 explicitly 3 times. Look at verse 5A salvation ready 110 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:47,200 to be revealed, verse 9 the salvation of your souls, and 111 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,600 verse 10 concerning this salvation. 112 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,880 But the rest of the section is jam packed with other references 113 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,800 to their salvation. In fact, of all the Bible speaks 114 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,320 about being saved, nearly all the terminology is used in this 115 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,760 passage, either directly or by illusion. 116 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:09,240 These Christians are elect, they're sanctified, obedient, 117 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,760 sprinkled, born again, your inheritance, your faith, the 118 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,080 revelation of Jesus Christ, the outcome of your faith, the grace 119 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,040 that is now yours, the things that are announced to you, the 120 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:21,160 good news that is preached to you. 121 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,960 Peter in our verses is going to ground everything he's about to 122 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,400 say. These are like exiles based on 123 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,280 their glorious salvation. This is what drives the rest of 124 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,120 the letter. This is what suffering Exiles 125 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,680 need to remember on their journey home. 126 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:43,160 Though you face various trials, you have a glorious salvation. 127 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,960 That's our main idea for us as Exiles this morning. 128 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:56,800 You face various trials, but you have a glorious salvation. 4 129 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:58,320 points as we walk through the passage. 130 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,720 Your glorious salvation is 4 things. 131 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:09,240 Number one, it's chosen by God #2 it's caused by God #3 it's 132 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,000 tested by God #4 it's a privilege from God. 133 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,760 Your glorious salvation is chosen by God, caused by God, 134 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,040 tested by God, a privilege from God. 135 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,120 Let's tie down with .1. Your glorious salvation is 136 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,120 chosen by God verses one and two. 137 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,040 Well, verse one tells us clearly that Peter the Apostle wrote the 138 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,320 letter. Apostles were sent once who 139 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,679 spoke the authoritative words of Jesus Christ. 140 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,760 They'd seen Jesus Christ risen from the dead in the flesh. 141 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,360 Peter was one of the original 12 disciples and in many ways he 142 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,760 was closest to Jesus. He was the leader of the 12. 143 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:51,480 And look who he writes to to the elect exiles of the Dispersion 144 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,280 and Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. 145 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,160 This is a Gentile region. These are mainly Gentile 146 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,880 churches scattered throughout Asia Minor, which is basically 147 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,080 modern day Turkey. Now this phrase, he uses the 148 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,880 dispersion or some translations may say the scattered ones or of 149 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,360 the diaspora. This was often a term used to 150 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,600 describe Jews who live outside of Israel, outside of Palestine 151 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,520 after the Babylonian exile. But Peter here is writing to 152 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,000 Gentiles. He's writing to Gentiles for a 153 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,920 part of the new covenant, people of God, Jew and Gentile, united 154 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,920 by faith in Jesus Christ. He's using the phrase here 155 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,360 metaphorically. These aren't literal exiles 156 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:37,400 kicked out of somewhere on earth, but spiritual exiles who 157 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,800 are living away from their heavenly homeland temporarily. 158 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,160 They're pilgrims. They're sojourners. 159 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,640 The church for now is a dispersed people, a suffering 160 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,040 people without a home in this current world. 161 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,760 And so Peter is going to remind these people with no home in 162 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,000 this world of who they really are. 163 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:03,560 They are, verse one, elect. This is quite the introduction 164 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:08,280 from Peter, quite a dense and theologically lofty introduction 165 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,240 if there ever was one. Peter's going to highlight four 166 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,920 aspects of their election in verse 2. 167 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,080 They are elect according to the Father's foreknowledge. 168 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,520 They are elect in the sanctification of the Spirit. 169 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,880 They are elect for obedience to Jesus Christ. 170 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,840 They are elect for sprinkling with His blood. 171 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,320 We're going to unpack these in a minute, But first, to be elect 172 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,520 in the Bible, it just means you've been chosen to be saved. 173 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,280 You've been handpicked by God for salvation. 174 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:42,240 Christians first. God chose you according to His 175 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,600 foreknowledge. God doesn't choose sinners based 176 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,800 on our own knowledge or based on our own choice, but based on His 177 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,800 own knowledge, based on His own covenant of love He sets on a 178 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,760 people before the dawn of time. That's what's meant here by 179 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,480 foreknowledge. Of course God knows all things 180 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,640 ahead of time, but what's being emphasized here is not that God 181 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:07,120 knows what you and I will choose, but that He knows you. 182 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:13,080 God set His covenant love on you and chose you before time began. 183 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,840 Everyone who is elect is foreknown by the Father. 184 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,680 Christians. God chose you to be sanctified 185 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:23,800 in the Holy Spirit. Now if you're new to 186 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:27,840 Christianity, this word sanctified just means set apart 187 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:32,880 for God or devoted to God. So when God saves sinners, He 188 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,360 sets them apart and they belong to Him. 189 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:39,200 And now you begin your journey of becoming less like your old 190 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,240 self and more like Jesus Christ. So everyone who is elect has 191 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,680 been set apart by or in the Holy Spirit. 192 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,480 Christians, God also chose you for obedience to Jesus Christ. 193 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,360 You've obeyed the initial gospel call to come follow him with 194 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,920 your life. And everyone who is elect 195 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,800 continues to obey Jesus Christ with their lives. 196 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:08,600 Lastly, Christians, God says you were chosen for sprinkling with 197 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,720 the blood of Jesus Christ. Another term here you may not be 198 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,360 familiar with if you're new to Christianity. 199 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,720 Well, and under the old covenant, when it was 200 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:20,280 inaugurated in Exodus 24, Moses sacrificed an animal and 201 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:23,640 sprinkled the people with blood. It represented their cleansing 202 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,120 from sin. But now Peter saying in a far 203 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,720 greater way, Christians have entered the new covenant through 204 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,760 the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 205 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,320 Brothers and sisters, everyone who is elect has been cleansed 206 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:41,400 of their sin, sprinkled clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, 207 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,400 Praise the Lord. This is Peter's comfort to 208 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,240 suffering Christians, no matter what their status on earth is, 209 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,640 no matter what your status on earth is this morning, you know, 210 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:57,680 persecuted, weird people who are just behind the times, what 211 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:00,160 matters most is your heavenly status. 212 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:06,520 You are chosen, loved, a child of God, destined for heaven. 213 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,600 God chooses us and then we receive all the wonderful 214 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:15,000 benefits of this salvation. God doesn't choose anyone based 215 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,800 on their own performance. Well, the NFL draft happened 216 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:24,360 recently, but really, this is true for any draft, MLBNBA and 217 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:26,560 before. As teams are approaching the 218 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:29,000 draft, we'll have a big draft for it with hundreds of 219 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,640 prospects on there, obviously ranked near the top. 220 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:33,320 Are the people they want most for their team? 221 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,320 They're asking what are the needs of our team? 222 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:36,760 Do we need a center? Do we need a guard? 223 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,960 Do we need an outfielder? The teams aren't doing you a 224 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,360 favor when they pick you. They're saying you can perform 225 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,480 for us. You can make us some money, so 226 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,600 we'll choose you based on what you can do. 227 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:50,600 But that's not how election works. 228 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,680 In the Bible, God chooses no one because of what you can do for 229 00:13:54,680 --> 00:13:55,760 him. As sinners, that would be 230 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,240 nothing. We can do nothing for the holy, 231 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,320 righteous, sovereign God of the universe. 232 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,800 He doesn't choose any of us based on our own performance, 233 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:08,400 but based on His love for us. God chooses you because He loves 234 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,840 you and then you get all the glorious benefits. 235 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,640 We declared some of these benefits earlier in our 236 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,560 statement of faith. If you have your bulletin, look 237 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:19,880 back on page 4 real quick flip back there. 238 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,880 We declared that God eternally chose some persons. 239 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,200 We declared that election. Here's the application for us 240 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,200 extinguishes boasting. It fuels humility. 241 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,000 It cultivates love. You know it's hard to be 242 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,840 prideful when you realize you aren't chosen because you were 243 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,640 so good. You were chosen because God 244 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,040 loved you and said His love on you. 245 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,960 Well, election also fosters prayer, fuels evangelism, and 246 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,960 solidifies trust in those who are His. 247 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,440 This is a great truth that the way God brings his elect to 248 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,080 salvation is through the fervent prayers of you in this room. 249 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,880 The way God saves his elect is through you and I going out and 250 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:05,120 desperately pleading with sinners to come to faith in 251 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,560 Christ, of sharing the gospel. And all those who he elect will 252 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:13,880 he will persevere till the end. What a gift the doctrine of 253 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,880 election is. This is the glory of salvation 254 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,680 God has chosen us for. And so in verse 2 to these elect 255 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:27,120 exiles, Peter says, may grace and peace be multiplied to you. 256 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:33,040 And grace and peace will certainly mark a church that has 257 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,680 been the recipients of God's incredible grace and salvation. 258 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:41,120 Well, that's merely 1 aspect of salvation that Peter has 259 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,600 highlighted so far. Our election. 260 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,120 But now he's going to launch into praise when he considers 261 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,520 more of all that God has done for us. 262 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:54,880 So point #2 your glorious salvation is caused by God. 263 00:15:55,320 --> 00:16:00,520 It's caused by God. Verses 3 to 5 Look at verse 3. 264 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,480 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 265 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,880 According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again 266 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,160 to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 267 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,920 from the dead. It's just true that when you 268 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,120 reflect on this glorious salvation, when you hear of 269 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:19,560 this, you can't help but launch in the praise. 270 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,680 A saved people are always a praising people in the Bible. 271 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:28,560 And today Peter says that God has caused us to be born again. 272 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,080 He describes salvation in the same way that Jesus Christ did. 273 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,760 Joe read this earlier for us from John chapter 3. 274 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,520 Jesus tells Nicodemus, a religious leader, that unless 275 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,320 you were born again, you will not enter the Kingdom of God. 276 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,520 In other words, unless you're born again, you won't be saved. 277 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,600 So Nicodemus, like all of us, if we heard this for the first 278 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,320 time, we'd be like, OK, I've got to go back into my mother's 279 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:56,160 womb. This is new. 280 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,720 Jesus is not talking about physical birth, but spiritual 281 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,040 rebirth. And Peter knows what all of us 282 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:07,040 in this room know this morning. Here are two of the most obvious 283 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:12,359 facts I could tell you today #1 every single person in this room 284 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:18,760 has been born #2 not a single one of us in this room caused 285 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,839 ourselves to be born. Birth is something that 286 00:17:21,839 --> 00:17:25,160 obviously happens to us in the same way. 287 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,680 None of us 'cause ourselves to be born spiritually as sinners, 288 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:34,240 were born spiritually dead. We're not born sick in need of 289 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,320 medicine. We're born dead and needing of 290 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:38,920 resuscitation. We aren't born drowning in the 291 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,320 sea, needing a life raft. We're at the bottom of the 292 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,640 ocean, already dead, needing Jesus Christ to swim down there, 293 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:46,880 take us up the shore and revive us. 294 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,280 Salvation is God's work. He has caused us to be born 295 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,120 again. How is this possible? 296 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:58,560 Verse 3, It's through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 297 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,560 from the dead. Jesus Christ paid for our sins 298 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,440 on the cross. He took him to the grave, and he 299 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,560 rose three days later on Sunday. And because you're united to 300 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,080 Jesus Christ, his resurrection guarantees your resurrection. 301 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,240 You've been raised to new life now spiritually if you're a 302 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,520 Christian, and you'll be raised to new life one day on that 303 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,400 final day when you're given a perfect resurrected body. 304 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:28,880 This is our glory of salvation. But there's more. 305 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,320 Look at verses 3 to 5. Here's what the resurrection 306 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:37,360 also guarantees that we have. Verse 3A, living hope. 307 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,240 Verse 4, an inheritance. Verse 5A, salvation ready to be 308 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,760 revealed in the last time. Christians have a living hope 309 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:49,240 because Jesus is alive in heaven right now. 310 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:53,520 Our eternal life is secured. There could be no more sure 311 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,040 foundation to build your life on them in the resurrection of 312 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,440 Jesus Christ from the dead. Christians are also guaranteed 313 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,600 an inheritance in verse four. That term inheritance now is 314 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:05,680 hugely significant. In the Old Testament. 315 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,400 God promised the people of Israel that they would have the 316 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,440 land of Canaan as their inheritance says in Exodus that 317 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,480 Israel is God's first born son. The first one is the heir. 318 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,840 The heir is the inheritance. Inheritance in the Old Testament 319 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:26,040 equaled earthly land of Israel. But what Peter has in mind here 320 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,280 is something far more glorious than any piece of land on earth. 321 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,840 It's what the land of Israel always intended to point to, the 322 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:34,840 glorious, forever heavenly homeland. 323 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,400 Look at how Peter describes this inheritance in verse 4. 324 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,880 It's imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. 325 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,920 Brothers and sisters, Peter is saying your heavenly inheritance 326 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:50,080 is far more glorious than anything on earth. 327 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:55,240 Everything on earth will perish, will fade, will be defiled 328 00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:00,000 ultimately. Recently a member of our family 329 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,640 went to Fleet Feet to get some new shoes. 330 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,920 This is great. The member of the family gets 331 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,040 some Hokas. The Hokas get brought home. 332 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,160 The Hokas are white and shiny, but then they say hey, you know 333 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:17,440 the The worker in the store said for only $10 extra I could buy a 334 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,200 stain free spray to spray on my Hokas. 335 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,640 And they spray the shoes in there and they just leave them 336 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,080 overnight for 24 hours. And if you put this spray on the 337 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,360 shoes, the Hookahs will never be staying for the rest of your 338 00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:31,920 life. Wow, this is great. 339 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:37,360 This is like a a $10,000 deal for only 10 bucks shoes that 340 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:39,720 even if you're walking through grass and mud and dirt will 341 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,080 never be staying. Hallelujah. 342 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:46,400 Well, the shoes have been in our home for a couple weeks and the 343 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,440 Hookahs are staying. Why are they staying? 344 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:54,280 Because there's no such thing as a stain free spray for anything. 345 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,600 No earthly treasure is unstainable. 346 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,200 No house, no car, no anything. Everything on earth will 347 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:06,240 ultimately fade, but there is an inheritance that is 348 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:11,240 imperishable, undefiled, unstainable, unfading, waiting 349 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:16,600 for every believer in heaven. How is this so? 350 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:20,360 It's because this beautiful verse, a beautiful truth in 351 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:24,040 verse 4. It's because your inheritance is 352 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:29,720 kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded 353 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,760 through faith for salvation to be revealed in the last time. 354 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,480 God protects his elect the way an elite military team protects 355 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:41,920 a soldier. They're extracting from behind 356 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,760 enemy lines. You are being guarded by God. 357 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,280 You can't ultimately be touched. Neither can your inheritance. 358 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,240 But notice how Peter tells us God guards us. 359 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:53,800 We still have a crucial role to play. 360 00:21:54,800 --> 00:22:00,080 God guards through faith. Now, faith is first a a gift 361 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,920 that he gives to his people, a conversion in order to be saved. 362 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,840 But we still must exercise it. We must fan it into flame. 363 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,200 We must maintain our faith. God preserves his elect through 364 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,640 means, so it's true. But not a single one of God's 365 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:16,680 people will lose their inheritance. 366 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:20,840 Period. It's also true that we must 367 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:25,240 persevere in faith if we're to have that ultimate salvation in 368 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:26,880 the end. We're saved right now, but 369 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,880 there's a salvation we need to persevere and strive for. 370 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,840 That's what Peter says at the end of verse 5. 371 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:38,080 You've been born again for a salvation ready to be revealed 372 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,720 in the last time. Remember what Jesus said. 373 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:46,720 When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? 374 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:53,760 And the answer is yes, he will. All of God's elect will have 375 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:58,000 faith on that final day. Brothers and sisters, I wonder 376 00:22:58,360 --> 00:23:01,760 if you've ever struggled to really believe this, If you've 377 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,520 ever struggled to believe you're really saved, that you're really 378 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,680 kept by God, that you're really going to be found faithful on 379 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,840 that last day. That's you this morning. 380 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,680 Just want to point you back to verses one through 5 really 381 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,720 quick. Just show you and remind you of 382 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,760 the one who is doing all the action here to save in this 383 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,080 passage and it's sustained. It's God. 384 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,720 God elects, God sanctifies, God sprinkles, God is merciful, God 385 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,560 causes, God keeps, God guards. If you're struggling with 386 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:37,000 assurance, First off, this is a very normal thing to go through 387 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,040 as a Christian. But remember, salvation is God's 388 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:43,880 work. He has done all of us for you in 389 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,240 your job, and my job is to believe Him. 390 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:52,120 Have faith. God's job is to guard you. 391 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,200 Your job is to keep your hope on that eternal inheritance that is 392 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,240 kept for you. God's job is to guard you and 393 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:05,960 make sure you get there safely. And remember, all of us, what 394 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,920 guarantees all the benefits of this great salvation is the 395 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:11,800 resurrection of Jesus Christ from the great. 396 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,440 The resurrection is the the linchpin for this whole passage. 397 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,280 You take out the resurrection here and all these glorious 398 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,040 truths follow like dominoes. There's no being born again. 399 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,400 There's no living hope. There's no inheritance. 400 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,320 There's no ultimate salvation. There is no Christianity of 401 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:29,720 Jesus Christ and not raised from the dead. 402 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:32,760 But Jesus Christ did raise from the grave. 403 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,760 Hallelujah. So those of you who aren't 404 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:41,120 Christians here this morning, I just have to ask that after 405 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,600 hearing all about the salvation for about 20 minutes or so, 406 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:50,520 don't you want this? Don't you want to be saved? 407 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,600 Do you know why you need to be saved? 408 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:56,760 Well, you need to be saved because on your own you'll 409 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,960 remain dead in your sins, destined for help. 410 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,840 But you've just heard this morning about a man who paid for 411 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:08,520 sins on the cross. On your own, you'll only ever 412 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,080 have a dead hope. Listen, you want to have a dead 413 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,320 hope in life, and you set your faith on dead men. 414 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:19,480 All the religious leaders of the past, Confucius, Buddha, 415 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,280 Muhammad, Joseph Smith, all dead men who have stayed in the 416 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,600 tombs. All the great religious leaders, 417 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,120 political leaders, kings, world entrepreneurs, health gurus, 418 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,040 athletes, all men who have died and remain in the tombs or will 419 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:38,200 die and stay in those tombs. But you have heard this morning 420 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:43,320 about a man who rose from the grave, who is alive in heaven 421 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,040 right now. His name is Jesus Christ. 422 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,320 He stands ready from heaven to save you. 423 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,760 If you had just repented your sins and put your faith in in 424 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:55,120 him, you can be born again. He died for sinners on the 425 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,280 cross, doing everything necessary to save them, paying 426 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:00,120 their debt. Then he rose from the grave 427 00:26:00,120 --> 00:26:02,240 three days later and he said, here's the receipt. 428 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:04,760 You owe nothing. You get everything. 429 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,440 Friends, do you want to be saved this morning? 430 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:14,520 Then believe in Jesus Christ and everything in this passage is 431 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:19,200 yours. Church family, we must never 432 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,360 stop praising God for this glorious salvation we have in 433 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:25,960 Jesus Christ. He's caused it, He's guarding 434 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:30,640 it, and because He loves you, He's going to test it. 435 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:36,440 Point #3 Your salvation is tested by God. 436 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,280 It's tested by God. Verses 6 through 9. 437 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:45,000 Look at verse 6. In this you rejoice, though now 438 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:49,080 for a little while, if necessary, you've been grieved 439 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,080 by various trials. Peter says something 440 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,760 interesting. These elect exiles are rejoicing 441 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,920 and also grieving. They're rejoicing because of the 442 00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:03,680 glorious inheritance that awaits them, and yet they're grieved 443 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,440 because the road to get there is one of suffering. 444 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:09,840 So here's the paradox of the Christian life. 445 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,760 You've got agony now, you've got glory, then you've got the 446 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:18,760 cross, now you've got the crown, then you've got temporary trials 447 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,000 now, but you have eternal treasure. 448 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:25,080 Then why? Why does God save us and then 449 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,600 afflict us and put us through the fire? 450 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,520 Well, Peter tells us with an illustration, verse 7. 451 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:37,040 He compares and contrasts genuine faith with gold. 452 00:27:38,120 --> 00:27:39,520 The illustration works like this. 453 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:46,200 Just as gold is tested by fire, so to your faith is tested by 454 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,240 trial. So when gold is put under 455 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:53,640 extreme heat, the impurities or the drops as we sang later, to 456 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,480 help firm a foundation, thy draws to consume thy gold to 457 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,360 refine. The impurities of the gold rise 458 00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:03,080 to the top and are discarded, but the pure metal is preserved 459 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:08,320 and refined. In the same way, trials reveal 460 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,120 what sin is in our hearts. It bubbles them up to the 461 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:13,240 surface so that we can get rid of them. 462 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,080 And yet our our faith is strengthened. 463 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,400 Our fleshly fat is trimmed off. Our spiritual muscles grow 464 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,920 stronger. Our hope in the Lord endures. 465 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:28,760 But here's the contrast. Here's how your genuine faith is 466 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:35,480 not like gold. Gold, as precious as it is, is 467 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:40,480 still perishable. But genuine faith is not. 468 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:45,160 Genuine faith is not perishable. Now think about it. 469 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,600 The things that are precious to us in life, we typically don't 470 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:50,960 want to put those things in fire. 471 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:52,440 I'm thinking of the things right now in my mind. 472 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,000 I don't want those things going through intense heat. 473 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,600 But that's not so with God and His wisdom and His love. 474 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:02,800 God loves you so much, cares about your faith, standing firm 475 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:06,800 on that final day so much, that He's going to test you in His 476 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,760 love and wisdom. He deems it necessary to put you 477 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:12,920 through the furnace of affliction for a little while. 478 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,400 Look at that phrase Peter uses in verse 6. 479 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:23,960 If necessary. If necessary, you have been 480 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,720 grieved by various trials. I don't think Peter's saying 481 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,000 that it's necessary that some suffer and others don't. 482 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,800 The rest of the Bible clearly teaches that all Christians 483 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:33,840 suffer. But I think he's saying that 484 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,200 it's not necessary for all Christians to suffer in the same 485 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,440 way. In his love and his wisdom for 486 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,560 you this morning, for some of you, God says if necessary, 487 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:44,920 you're going to suffer in this way. 488 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,240 For others of you, God has said if necessary, you're going to 489 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:52,640 suffer in that way. No2 Christian sufferings are 490 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:57,280 alike in this world. All of us in this room right now 491 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,680 are facing various kinds of trials. 492 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,800 Trials related to your job, your family. 493 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:10,360 Trials related to motherhood, to fatherhood, to pregnancy to 494 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,480 birth. Trials of grueling, unexplained 495 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,600 health problems. The trials of losing a loved 496 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,840 one. The trials that come of old age. 497 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,160 The trials that come with singleness, the trials of 498 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,360 infertility. Some Christians around the world 499 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,280 face greater physical persecution for their faith. 500 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,760 Others of you in this room are facing societal pressures to 501 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:40,400 compromise on biblical values. In all of these different for 502 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,000 each of you. God is testing our faith, 503 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,440 refining our faith. He has said I love you and it's 504 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,080 necessary that you suffer in this way. 505 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,240 Don't compare your suffering to another brother or sister in the 506 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,320 body. God says this is necessary for 507 00:30:54,320 --> 00:31:00,240 you, child of God. So how can we as a church help 508 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,280 each other remain faithful through various trials? 509 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,200 Well, we can remind each other of what Peter reminds these 510 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:11,560 Christians of. He says in verse 6, our trials 511 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:17,280 are only for a little while, like sitting on the runway 512 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:18,760 waiting for the plane to take off. 513 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,880 Like counting down the days to your wedding, Like waiting for 514 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:25,320 school to get out for the summer church. 515 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,400 Remind each other that though you're grieving now, that those 516 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:32,240 some of you have been suffering the same trial for months and 517 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:35,600 years, perhaps decades. It's just for a little while 518 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,000 longer. You just have to hold on by 519 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:43,920 faith for a little while longer. We've already seen that, Peter 520 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,040 says. Trials refine our faith. 521 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:51,280 Ask each other what sin has got exposed in your heart through 522 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:54,160 this trial. How is he refining you? 523 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:58,320 How is God growing your faith? Are there any ways you're 524 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:00,760 doubting God's character and God's goodness? 525 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,720 And then remind each other of God's character and God's 526 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,720 goodness. But lastly, Peter does something 527 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,200 something else to comfort these suffering Christians. 528 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:15,760 I think this is the best thing we can do when we're going 529 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:20,160 through trials. Peter points them to the return 530 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:24,960 of Jesus Christ and the reward that you'll receive on that 531 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,520 final day. Look at verses 7 and 9. 532 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:32,480 He says our trials result in praise and glory and honor at 533 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,720 the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not seen 534 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:38,320 Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, 535 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:40,720 you believe in Him and rejoice with joy. 536 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,720 That is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the 537 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:48,840 outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 538 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:55,440 A little over a month ago, NASA sent 4 astronauts on the Artemis 539 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,800 2 mission out of our atmosphere around the dark side of the 540 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:00,000 moon. Never been done before. 541 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:02,560 And back to Earth. No human beings have traveled 542 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,480 further in space. I was really into this. 543 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,480 You can ask Michelle. I think space travel, it's 544 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,120 fascinating how we were able to do this. 545 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:12,000 Well, of course space travel is very dangerous. 546 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:13,240 There's a lot of things that could go wrong. 547 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,640 But one of the things during this mission that was 548 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:21,920 particularly making NASA feel anxious was the heat shield. 549 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,920 Now the heat shield is really all that stands in between are 550 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:30,480 those astronauts and 20 to 25,000 Fahrenheit degree heat. 551 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:32,840 As they come back and re enter the Earth's atmosphere. 552 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,520 They re enter the Earth's atmosphere like a ball of fire. 553 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,520 Why did it make them nervous? Well, a couple years prior, 554 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:43,080 during Artemis One, which was a test run with no human beings on 555 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:48,200 board, the heat shield revealed some flaws, had some cracks. 556 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:53,120 Obviously this is a huge deal. The value of these astronaut 557 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:57,400 lives on board is so high, so precious, they can't risk this 558 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,360 heat shield not holding up on that final mission. 559 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:05,280 So what did they do? Well, I read that over just a 560 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:10,120 couple years this heat shield was obviously fixed and improved 561 00:34:10,679 --> 00:34:16,600 and then they tested it over 1000 tons at that 20,000°F. 562 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:20,560 He they tested it and tested it and tested it because it could 563 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,360 not fail. Those astronauts lives were too 564 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:26,040 valuable. Of course they landed back in 565 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,639 the ocean and there was praise and there was great joy. 566 00:34:28,679 --> 00:34:33,280 The heat shield held up well. Brothers and sisters, the same 567 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,679 is true of your faith. You making it to heaven. 568 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:41,360 You having eternal life with God is so precious to Him that for 569 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:45,080 now he's going to test you and test you and test you over and 570 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:49,400 over again so that on that final day you stand before him so that 571 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:53,280 your faith is proven genuine and you receive the outcome you've 572 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:55,960 been longing for. The ultimate salvation of your 573 00:34:55,960 --> 00:35:00,000 soul, the praise and glory and honor that will come from the 574 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:04,720 lips, lips of your Savior when he says, well done, good and 575 00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:10,600 faithful servant, intern of the joy of your master or the glory, 576 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,440 the eternal weight of glory that'll make your trials when 577 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:16,840 you look back on them seem light and momentary. 578 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,960 Or the honor of the Kingdom that you'll inherit, the Kingdom that 579 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,120 Jesus says I've been preparing for you since the foundation of 580 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:30,640 the world. And Peter knows, and God knows 581 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:35,480 that in the midst of trials, it's hard to remain faithful to 582 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,880 Jesus Christ, whom you can't see right now and whom you've never 583 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,880 seen. We have something in common with 584 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:43,960 these Christians here. Peter's writing to, not with 585 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:45,920 Peter himself, because he saw Jesus Christ. 586 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,160 But none of us have seen Jesus Christ in the flesh. 587 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:52,520 It's hard to remain focused on the heavenly homeland we haven't 588 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:57,080 been to and never seen before. But Peter says that in verses 589 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,720 8:00 and 9:00, that the belief you have in Jesus, the love you 590 00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:05,800 have for him, the inexpressible joy and glory in your heart has 591 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:07,560 never been based on physical sight. 592 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:13,560 Seeing is not believing, Friends, this joy and glory. 593 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:18,120 It's based on hope, a living hope that the promises of God 594 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:20,360 are true. He came to earth to save you. 595 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:22,360 He's waiting to call you home one day. 596 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,400 And you see Him right now by faith. 597 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:29,160 One day soon, when you see Him by sight, you'll know you'll 598 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:31,080 have that inexpressible joy forever. 599 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:36,880 Remember church, these Christians in Peter's letter 600 00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:40,560 that we're reading about, they suffer some hard things for a 601 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:44,480 little while, but they've been in glory for over 2000 years. 602 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,880 That's one way we can endure through trials, by remembering 603 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:53,320 Christians of the past. That's really what Peter wants 604 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:55,800 these Christians to do. At verses 10 through 12, as he 605 00:36:55,800 --> 00:37:01,880 closes his opening point #4 your glorious salvation is a 606 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:06,080 privilege from God. It's a privilege from God. 607 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:09,880 Look at verse 10 concerning this salvation. 608 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:13,080 The prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be 609 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:18,120 yours searched and acquired carefully, inquiring what what 610 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:21,640 person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating. 611 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:25,040 When he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent 612 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:28,680 glories, it was revealed to them that they were serving not 613 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,840 themselves, but you. And the things that have now 614 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:35,720 been announced to you through those who preach the good news 615 00:37:35,720 --> 00:37:37,960 to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. 616 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:41,800 Things into which angels long to look. 617 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:46,360 There's a lot here, but Pierre reminds these suffering 618 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:49,840 Christians, as he closes his opening, of the incredible 619 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:53,880 privilege they have to live at this point in salvation history. 620 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:58,600 The faithful Jewish prophets of old, these giants of the faith, 621 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:04,240 searched and inquired carefully. They labored, they intensely 622 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:06,920 sought these things out. The grace that was going to be 623 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:10,480 yours, the grace that these Jewish prophets would not 624 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:12,800 receive in their day that was going to bless future 625 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:17,440 generations of Gentiles. Peter doesn't say, but he's got 626 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:21,920 to be thinking about the prophet Daniel, who labored hard to 627 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,680 understand the prophecies he received. 628 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:27,040 But God said, Daniel, it's not for you seal it up. 629 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:31,280 It's for a later generation. He's got to be thinking about 630 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:35,680 Isaiah in that glorious prophecy of the suffering servant, Isaiah 631 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:39,720 52 and 53, the servant who would be cut off for the sins of his 632 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:43,160 people, but then raised again the glory and see his offspring. 633 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:47,240 Now, there are things we don't know about these prophets 634 00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:49,520 specifically. We don't know how much they knew 635 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:52,200 exactly. We don't know certain natures of 636 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,560 the specifics. And yet Peter tells us that they 637 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:58,280 knew a lot. He tells us clearly, clearly the 638 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:00,640 things in these Old Testament prophets knew. 639 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:03,920 They knew they were speaking on behalf of God. 640 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:08,280 Look at verse 11. It was the Spirit of Christ in 641 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:11,160 them. The prophets were not just 642 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,880 throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks. 643 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:18,600 They knew they were speaking the authoritative, inerrant words of 644 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:23,360 God inspired by the Holy Spirit. They also knew that there would 645 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,640 be a Messiah who would suffer and then be raised to glory. 646 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,680 Verse 11. They knew a Messiah would suffer 647 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:34,400 to pay for sins, and then they knew about his future glories, 648 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:36,880 that he'd be risen from the great, that he'd reign over 649 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:41,240 God's Kingdom forever. But while they knew there would 650 00:39:41,240 --> 00:39:46,120 be a Messiah, they didn't know the exact person or time. 651 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:50,840 They knew there would be a who. They didn't know who it would be 652 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:53,480 exactly. They knew there would be an 653 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:56,640 appointed time. They didn't know at what exact 654 00:39:56,640 --> 00:40:00,880 time that would be. Here's one more thing Peter 655 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:02,320 says. They did know. 656 00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:07,920 They knew it would not happen in their day. 657 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:11,920 They knew these prophecies weren't for them to see on 658 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:16,120 earth, but for the Christians in Peter's letter to see. 659 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:17,960 There were four them. Verse 12. 660 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:21,520 It was revealed to them, to these prophets, that they were 661 00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:26,440 serving not themselves, but you, brothers and sisters, the great 662 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:28,720 Old Testament prophets of old. Thousands of years ago. 663 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:32,840 They had you and mine as they were prophesying these things, 664 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:36,520 working hard so that you could enjoy the great privilege of 665 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:40,440 your salvation. Some of you may have heard your 666 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:42,680 parents or grandparents say something like this. 667 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:43,840 Or maybe you tell your kids this. 668 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:48,840 No kids, your great grandparents worked hard so that you could 669 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:50,600 enjoy the privileges you have today. 670 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:55,760 And that's true. We have parents and grandparents 671 00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:00,120 that work very hard to have us enjoy far greater experiences 672 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:02,320 and privileges that they did well. 673 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,720 The same is true of us spiritually, our spiritual 674 00:41:05,720 --> 00:41:09,400 grandparents thousands of years ago, who of course we will never 675 00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:13,160 meet, not yet at least. They worked hard so that we 676 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:16,120 could experience the great privilege of this salvation. 677 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:19,160 Friends, living on this side of the cross is such a gift. 678 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:23,800 The Bible you hold in your laps, the 66 books, the complete 679 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:26,400 Canon. What a gift that we can reflect 680 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:28,840 back on all of God's words, all of God's work. 681 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:33,120 We have the full gospel. We have personal relationships 682 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:35,360 with Jesus Christ that we've seen by faith. 683 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:41,400 And the same gospel that Peter says was announced and preached 684 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:45,240 to the Christians in his day is the same gospel that we get to 685 00:41:45,240 --> 00:41:48,480 hear preached from this pulpit Sunday after Sunday. 686 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,720 It's the same gospel that we get to go out and announce to a 687 00:41:52,720 --> 00:41:55,680 dying world. What a privilege of our 688 00:41:55,680 --> 00:42:00,120 salvation. It's so glorious that even 689 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:04,520 angels want in on the action. Even angels long to see it. 690 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:10,760 Angels in verse 12 are like a ball boy who wants so badly to 691 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:12,800 get in the game, but it's never going to happen. 692 00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:17,120 These powerful, heavenly, mighty creatures who are in the throne 693 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:21,160 room of God day and night, they want so badly to get subbed into 694 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:23,360 the game of salvation, but they never will. 695 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:25,840 Angel do not experience saving grace. 696 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:31,680 Angels may be greater in power, but you, Christian, have the 697 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:36,400 greater privilege. The point Peter is making is 698 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:40,520 this. Even though you are a suffering 699 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:44,280 people, you are a privileged people. 700 00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:49,640 Though you face various trials, you have a glorious salvation, 701 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,840 the great privilege of the salvation. 702 00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:58,520 Jesus said that many prophets and righteous people longed to 703 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:02,040 see the things that you see but didn't see, to hear the things 704 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:03,800 that you hear but didn't hear them. 705 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:08,280 Many people long for it. Peter says that angels long for 706 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:09,960 it. Peter says that angels stand in 707 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:16,600 all of your salvation. The question is, do you, do you 708 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:20,280 stand in all of this glorious salvation we've just heard 709 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:23,400 proclaimed this morning? Would your life show that you 710 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:27,840 value it, that it's your priority to grow in the 711 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,320 knowledge of God and all that he's done to save you, to 712 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:34,480 proclaim it? This is our glorious salvation, 713 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:38,560 the salvation that God has caused, that God chose you for, 714 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,480 that God is guarding and keeping for us. 715 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:49,360 You know, only one person died on that Mayflower journey across 716 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:50,600 the Atlantic. Only one person. 717 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:52,040 There actually was one baby born. 718 00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:55,840 I read. All but one made it there safely 719 00:43:55,840 --> 00:44:01,160 after two months at sea. But then about half of them died 720 00:44:01,160 --> 00:44:05,040 the first winter. The New World was great in many 721 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:08,640 ways, but it wasn't the homeland many of them expected. 722 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:14,520 Believers, your ultimate homeland is not found in this 723 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:16,680 world. It's not in the United States. 724 00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:19,880 It's not in any other country. You are in exile here. 725 00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:22,280 You are a foreigner bound for heaven. 726 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:25,920 Even though you don't belong here, you belong somewhere. 727 00:44:25,920 --> 00:44:29,320 You belong to God. He chose you before the world 728 00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:32,000 began. He's given you new life today, a 729 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:34,600 living hope. And even in the midst of trials 730 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:37,040 that you're aggrieved by, you can set your hope on heaven. 731 00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:40,120 You can set your hope on Jesus Christ, 'cause you're going to 732 00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:44,920 be with Him soon. We have set out on this journey 733 00:44:45,400 --> 00:44:48,800 across the sea, and one day we'll arrive on the shores of 734 00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:51,800 glory. Praise the Lord for this 735 00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:54,720 glorious salvation. Amen. 736 00:44:54,840 --> 00:45:02,040 Let's pray. Oh God, we bless you and praise 737 00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:07,000 you for saving us, for giving us reason to rejoice in the midst 738 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:10,800 of trials that grieve us, for giving us the hope of heaven. 739 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,280 Oh God, I pray that because we are a saved people, we will be 740 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:17,800 appraising people. I pray that though we're 741 00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:20,120 afflicted with many trials, we help each other endure. 742 00:45:20,720 --> 00:45:23,960 We'd all look forward to that great day, but we'll obtain the 743 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:27,880 outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls. 744 00:45:28,240 --> 00:45:30,880 It's in Jesus name that we worship you and praise you for 745 00:45:30,880 --> 00:45:32,240 this. Amen.